Most surprising is the unstoppable rise in popularity of team activities involving mud, obstacles and monkey bars – reminiscent of the ones we tried to dodge at school.

Here, Leonardo DiCaprio’s personal trainer Cornel Chin and Mail on Sunday fitness columnist Gillian Reeves give their verdicts on which workouts everyone will be talking about (if not actually doing) in 2014.

Doggy style: Fitness camps where your pet is involved is one of the new fitness trends for 2014

WORK OUT WITH YOUR PORKY POOCH

WHAT IS IT? Nubeginnings Paw Camp – a boutique fitness camp for you and your dog. Specialist trainers and boot camps are now available for dogs and their owners. This one offers healthy-eating lessons (for your dog), sports massage (for your dog), obstacle courses and hiking (for you both).

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‘Working out with dogs kills two birds with one stone,’ says Victoria Wills, founder of the Nubeginnings residential course. ‘A little canine company and encouragement is excellent for humans who aren’t keen on a training regime.’

BENEFITS: The RSPCA suggests it is more likely that obese owners have obese dogs. Health risks are the same for both, including diabetes and heart disease. ‘It depends on the level of exercise taken, but even a brisk walk increasing the heart rate is good for you and your pet,’ says Chin.

WHO IS IT FOR? All dog owners.

WHERE? nubeginnings.co.uk. The next Paw Camp is in February.

Work out at home: Slim In Six programme

TONE AND TRIM WITHOUT LEAVING HOME

WHAT IS IT?
Slim In Six is an at-home workout which claims you’ll get in shape in
six weeks. ‘The trend for at-home workouts shows no sign of abating,’
says Chin. ‘Slim In Six is huge in the US and taking off here. There are
three separate sections: Start it Up, Ramp it Up and Burn it Up. You
start with a low-intensity workout for 30 minutes a day with leg and arm
lifts, moving on to bottom, hips and thighs toning with squats and
lunges at speed. If you want to kick-start a healthy lifestyle, this is a
fantastic at-home starter.’

BENEFITS: Cardiovascular workout, weight loss and toning – at home.

WHO IS IT FOR? ‘Suitable
for most levels of fitness, but take medical advice beforehand. You
need to be motivated, but knowing it’s within a short time-frame will
help,’ says Chin. Great for those on a budget or short of time.

WHERE?beachbody.co.uk, £66.80

THE POST-FONDA WORKOUT

WHAT IS IT? Burn 360 is a new all-over body-conditioning workout moving away from the Jane Fonda ‘bums and tums’ classes of the 1980s and 1990s.

‘Burn 360 is based around stretching out all the tissue that surrounds and connects muscles,’ says Reeves (the class’s creator). ‘It gives definition and muscle tone as well as improving posture.

'The class starts with a stretching warm-up for the entire body, then focuses on different parts. Expect to find yourself doing body-weight exercises to strengthen wrists, shoulders and core. The aim is to move the body in all directions so that niggling injuries generally caused by our sedentary, desk or chair-bound lifestyles can be avoided.’

BENEFITS: ‘Stretching is the best way of toning,’ says Chin. ‘Elongating muscles makes them look and feel toned.’

WHO IS IT FOR? Suitable for all levels – but this is not a cardiovascular workout.

WHERE?virgin.co.uk

DISCOVER YOUR INNER WARRIOR

WHAT IS IT? Fierce, the African dance-inspired class. Reeves says: ‘Set to tribal rhythms, it’s an overall body workout with natural and bold movements that work the major muscle groups. It’s also great fun.’

BENEFITS: Squatting, swinging and warrior-style kicking make this brilliant for toning legs, thighs and bottom. Rhythmic stamping and pounding music are exhilarating, so it’s also great for stress-relief. ‘Most dance-orientated exercise has excellent cardiovascular benefits,’ says Chin.

WHO IS IT FOR? ‘Everyone from beginner to professional,’ says Reeves, who adds that the class is as sociable as Zumba and great for losing inhibitions. Fierce creator Teva Scarborough adds: ‘A lot of people believe they can’t dance if they are unable to perform the moves perfectly. If you look at traditional tribal cultures, everyone is involved in the dancing.’

WHERE?virginactive.co.uk, from this month

Do it jungle style: The new dance class Fierce at Virgin Active gyms is inspired by African tribal dancing

BESPOKE TEAM CLASSES

WHAT IS IT? Virgin Active’s latest piece of gym-floor kit, the Technogym Omnia, billed as ‘a revolutionary Group Training Solution’.

Capitalising on the success of their ‘Fast’ classes –15-minute trainer-led group exercise sessions in the main gym which can be dipped in and out of by anyone – the Omnia is basically a machine that up to eight people can use simultaneously.

Each user stands at a station which can be fitted with different attachments that are pushed, pulled, twisted or manipulated in other ways. Some exercises use weights attached to pulleys, other require body weight only.

WHAT IS IT? Obstacle race courses for adults. ‘People have moved on from triathalons and want something even tougher now,’ says Chin. According to muddyrace.co.uk, last year there were 70 of these Ironman-type events across the UK that involved 200,000 entrants running three or six-mile courses, clambering over walls and obstacles along the way. The RockSolidRace in Exeter on March 15 is a good example – you’ll plough through mud, swamp and water.

BENEFITS: An all-round cardiovascular and strength-building workout. Train with moves such as pull-ups and press-ups, or circuit classes at the gym.

WHO IS IT FOR? If you fancy yourself as a bit of a part-time action hero, and think marathons are for wimps, then these are the races for you.

WHERE?muddyrace.co.uk

'Revolution': The Technogym Omnia at Virgin Active offers up a new type of group training classes

EXTREME FITNESS TRAINING

WHAT IS IT? Tabata classes are 20-minute sessions that include 40 seconds of intense cardio with exercises such as transverse jump and sprawl (falling into the press-up position and to your feet again) and ten seconds of rest in four-minute cycles. Devised by Japanese scientist Professor Izumi Tabata for Japan’s Olympic speed-skating team.

BENEFITS: Will seriously increase fitness as each class is the equivalent of an hour on an exercise bike cycling at a moderate rate. Some experts suggest you can burn 15 calories a minute doing this workout.

WHO IS IT FOR? The already fit who like to push themselves to the limit. Consult a doctor before attempting.

WHERE? fitnessfirst.co.uk

TACKLE YOUR TEAM SPIRIT WITH FAST RUGBY

WHAT IS IT? Touch Rugby League is a new game devised by the Rugby Football League. It’s fast and skilful and builds

muscle tone and fitness through speedy passing – and you won’t get clobbered as there’s no tackling.

BENEFITS: You might cover almost two miles in a 40-minute game, and during a match your heart will be working at 80 per cent of its maximum rate.